


Strangers

by I_is_a_freak



Category: The Losers (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 09:35:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2807810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_is_a_freak/pseuds/I_is_a_freak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where Jake never went into the army but Cougar meets him anyway</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strangers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reeby10](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reeby10/gifts).



> Happy Holidays  
> Prompts: One of them didn't go into the military but they still meet up somehow.

Cougar arrived at the address he had written in his notepad. It was a nice suburban house, three bedrooms but only one current tenant. He knocked on the door and tall blond man answered it.

"Oh hey you’re here! On time too! Most people have been late which I find weird cause that really doesn't show much in the way of really wanting the place, so you are already one up on them."

"Thank you." Cougar managed to say

"Come in, come in I’ll give you the tour. My name is Jacob as you know but you can call my Jake, I’ll answer to both or not to anything, I get really focused some times and don’t hear things but any who this is the living room. The kitchen is through there and the doors here go out to the patio."

Jake pointed over to the left, "The bedrooms are down here, there is a room with an on sweet at the end of the hall which is mine so you have the regular bathroom to yourself and any guest you bring over, and here's the room you’ll be staying in."

The room was a normal sized room. No cracks or damage to the walls; the carpet was a light blue; the window looked out to the side fence and there was an inbuilt wardrobe.

Jake was leaning in the door way, "So any questions so far?"

"Who else is staying here?"

"Well at the moment it’s just me I’ve converted to third room in to a study so I’m hoping that it doesn't come to renting it out too. There would be too many people in the house then. Don’t worry I pay the rent of those two so you're only paying for this room. Bills and such will be split when they come."

Cougar nodded and moved back to the living room to look through the kitchen and dining room. It was open so you could see the kitchen from the table which looked nice.

Jake followed, "Do you cook? I do a bit of cooking. Had to learn or I wouldn't get fed growing up. My sister was the real chef so she gives me tips. We can split the groceries or just buy our own its up to you but we can work it out later."

"I haven't said yes yet."

"Well to be honest you've stayed longer than the rest of them. If you've noticed I talk a lot and people find it annoying but I promise I will totally respect any boundaries you set up. I talk a lot that doesn't mean I’m a blabber mouth. I know not to talk about things if you don’t want me too."

Cougar nodded, "I'm in the army, I go on deployment, sometimes for a few months, is that okay?"

"I work in computers myself. I can factor the bills so you don’t pay when you not here and I promise not to go through your stuff so no I don’t see a problem."

"I accept."

Jake's face lit up, "Really, that's awesome. Cool I’ll contact the real estate agent and she can get the paperwork to add you to the lease, sweet. Thanks for this."

Cougar shrugged, "I need a place. If I’m away you can't annoy me with you talking."

"Man the only roommate more perfect would have been someone who is deaf."

***

Cougar charmed his way into working at a doll factory to get money. Pooch had got a job as a mechanic but he wasn't sure about the others.

The job had a lot of mindless repetition which gave him a lot of time to think. Think about the kids, about his own death, about a home he'll never go back to, about a person he'll never go back to.

There was the temptation to send a postcard. Jake liked that and had always been super thrilled to receive one, even if was from the airport or military base on the way home. 

It had been a month when a package arrived for him at the factory.

It was plainly packed, there was no return address, and it had him down as Cougar. He waited till get was back at the room Pooch and he rented to open it. Inside was a small iPod, a set of headphones, a cable, a charge and an adapter. 

When Cougar flipped it over it had on the back engraved "Don't Stop Believing". He held his breath.

He plugged to headphones in and pressed play. It wasn't a Journey song but it was equally as bad and made Cougar want to cry.

***

"So what even do you do?” Jake blurted out. He was leaning on the kitchen island eating an apple.

Cougar looked over from where he was cooking and raised his eyebrow. Jake, for all his social awkwardness, was quick at picking up at Cougar’s nonverbal cues. 

“You know, in the army? What’s your job?”

“I’m a sniper.” Cougar returned to his food.

“Really, that is so cool; you go on like missions and stuff? That must be really exciting. All the sneaking and explosions and taking a guy’s head off from forever away.”

Cougar shrugged, “Not really, lots of walking, gets boring.”

“So you listen to music right?”

Cougar shook his head and flipped his pancake.

“So what you just think about things? Man you must be really secure in yourself; I couldn’t be left in my head for very long. Hey I’ll make you a play list, you got an iPod?”

Cougar gave Jake a look then transferred the pancake to a plate.

“Okay then, I have an old one I can give you Mr I don’t own anything newer than a blanket for smoke singles. Do you have any preferences on music? I should say if you say no then you have to deal with my taste and I have not had great reviews on it.”

Cougar shrugged again and Jake just raised his hands, “You have been warned.”

The next mission Cougar went on he was given a pink iPod shuffle with a playlist of most terrible 80’s and 90’s pop songs and he listened to it every chance he got.

***

The next package contained an X-Men lunch box full of ginger spiced cookies. Not just any ginger spiced cookies, homemade ‘with love’ ginger spiced cookies. Jensen had started making them for when Cougar got back from missions. The package also contained was a pink shirt that said ‘Go Petunias!’, the shirt still smelt like Jake.

When Pooch came home that night he just shook his head at Cougar and handed over the take away. “Where on earth did you get that shirt?”

Cougar stopped his music and took the container, “The doll factory.”

“The same place you got that new iPod after Clay sold your old one?”

“It was gift.”

“Yeah, sure.” Pooch nodded and sat down to eat.

Cougar glared, “Do you think I’m holding money out on the group?”

Pooch matched his gaze, “No, I don’t but there is something you’re not telling us. I haven’t told Clay about the new iPod but you might want to think about coming clean.”

***

"So hey, you're on leave for a while yeah?"

Cougar nodded without looking up from his book.

"So I was going to visit my sister and my niece in New Hampshire and was thinking maybe you would want to tag along? I have totally okayed it with Holly and Bec is excited to meet you and it would be fun."

"Sure." Cougar shrugged. He didn't see why he was being asked to go with Jake. Jake only really talked about his family in offhand remarks so this would be an experience at the very least.

~~~

Bec was great though, a normal 4 year old girl who liked princess and dinosaurs and princess dinosaurs who terrorised the neighbouring nation of gorilla princes. Living with Jake he could see that this type of madness ran in the family.

Cougar got the feeling that Holly did not like him. Jake was talking him up but Holly barely spoke two words to him. Cougar just kept out of the way and spent more time with Bec so Jake could spend time with his sister.

Holly came into the lounge room and handed Jake a piece of paper, "Hey Jake could you take Bec to the store I need a few things?"

Jake nodded, "Sure, you coming Cougs?"

Cougar got up and walked to the door when Holly interrupted, "I need some help with making cookies, if you don't mind?"

It wasn't really a question but Cougar nodded and moved into the kitchen as Jake grabbed the keys. Jake gave Cougar a thumbs up before Bec dragged him out of the door.

"You can start by sifting the flour." Holly put a bowl in front of him.

Cougar worked for a bit, doing what Holly asked finally as the cookies were going into the oven Holly broke the silence.

"Did Jake tell you what happened to Bec's father?"

Cougar shook his head, "No, he doesn't talk about personal things." 

"Well then he didn't tell you that I don't like stranger, especially men, in my home."

"I would not have come if I had known. I can leave if you want?"

"It's okay; Jake has a way with telling people only what he wants them to hear,” Holly gave him a sad smile, “He practically begged me to let you come and I trust him to know you well enough. Jake doesn't form bonds very easily so the fact he wanted to bring you at all says something. I just wanted you to know why I might have come across as being cold to you."

"Thank you."

"Jake likes you and I don't think you know how much. Do you know how many people he has brought over to my house?"

"No."

"Only you. Do you know how many people have had him call me in the middle of the night for a recipe for ginger spiced cookies because they are a certain some one’s favourite?"

Cougar stayed silent

"And how many people have not only tolerated being around him but thrived and made him feel normal about himself? He was always three steps ahead of people also but two steps to the side. People think he's weird but you don't, well you probably do but not in the same way; you encourage him."

"I can stop if..."

"No!" Holly interrupted, "No, god I am no good at this either. Okay, to put it as plain as I can, Jake like likes you and I was judging you at the start because he has no judge of character and his past boyfriends have been terrible. I think you're good for him."

"We aren't boyfriends."

"I know, trust me I know and this isn't me staying you have to be. Jake won’t mention his crush on you for the rest of his live if it doesn’t come up. I just want you to know so you can let him know where to set the boundaries in your relationship. Whether its friends, best friends, boyfriends, whatever, just whatever you decide please be gentle to him okay? Neither of us have had a lot of nice things."

Cougar nodded and went to the room that Jake and he were sharing.

~~~

It was the middle of the night and Cougar could not sleep. He was on a blow up mattress on the floor beside a single bed that Jake was on. The things that Holly had told him were running through his head. The cookies, the looks, the hacking certain websites to find out when Cougar would be home so that said cookies would be fresh.

Cougar believed Holly when she said that Jake wouldn't press the issue and if Cougar let him down that he would be find and continue being friends. Cougar wasn't sure if he wanted that though. 

He had the occasional thought of how attractive his housemate, was when Jake would forget that Cougar was home and would walk around in his underwear, but the thoughts didn’t go any further because, as far as he was aware, Jake wasn’t available.

It was more he didn't think that there was a possibility of Jake liking him that way. He was too quiet and didn't talk much. He was away with the army more than he was home. He had nightmares the he knew woke Jake up. Many past girlfriends and boyfriends had told him that he wasn't open enough.

Jake seemed to understand that though; never pushed Cougar into conversations. If he did Jake filled in Cougar's half anyway so Cougar only needed to talk if Jake was getting ridiculous which wasn’t very often.

They seem to have a connection with each other that was different to the connection Cougar had with the team.

No, Cougar wasn't going to let himself get in the way of himself being happy. When they got home he would ask Jake out.

"Hey Cougar are you asleep? Of course you are military man, could sleep anywhere at the drop of a hat. Anyway I just want to say thanks for coming with me. You didn't have to spent time with me and my family but you did. I guess I just missed you and wanted to spend more time with you and this trip was organised before you completed your mission early and got time off. So yeah thanks."

"You’re welcome." Cougar let that hang in the air. He heard Jake stiffen.

"I'm sorry, I didn't wake you?" Jake leaned over the side of the bed to look and Cougar.

"No, I was already awake. I wasn't sure if you were awake or not; it could have been you talking in your sleep."

Jake smiled, "You are chatty in the middle of the night, and maybe we should have more conversations in the dark."

"Okay, in your room though."

Jake got a confused look on his face, "Wait, my room?"

"Yes, you have the bigger bed."

"Okay, look I’m not good at reading the room so what is going on right now because my mind is going places that I like but totally..."

Cougar reached up and kissed him. It was an awkward angle but it made his point. 

"Yeah, okay." Jake mumbled and shifted to get a better angle then he fell off the bed.

Cougar groaned with the weight of a full grown man hitting him.

"Oh shit." Jake yelled as he tried to untangle himself from the sheets and off Cougar at the same time causing a few more groans from both of them.

Suddenly the door flew open, the light was turned on and Holly yelled at them, "There are children in this house so if you're having sex then keep it down."

Jake looked up at her, "If you thought we were having sex then why did you open the door, go away."

Holly started laughing, "Okay, okay. God your face, do you know how many times I’ve wanted to walk in on you since you did that to me with George Foster."

"That was an accident and I told you as much." Jake finally was about to stand up.

"Well any way, do you have condoms? Lube? Edible underwear?" 

Jake pushed his sister out of the door, "Go away, leave, be gone."

As Cougar sat up he could hear the laughter down the corridor.

"Sorry about that she is embarrassing some times; and for the record we are not having sex until we get back home."

Cougar shrugged, "Its fine."

"So can we go back to kissing?"

Cougar grinned.

***

Cougar didn’t listen to his iPod in the coffin. There was too much risk someone would hear. He did spend the trip wondering if Jake knew they were moving. He didn’t want Jake to waste any postage on sending things to the doll factory for no reason. He also knew he should be more excited about going back to America to clear their names but instead he was feeling upset that he was closer to Jake without being about to contact him. Cougar wasn’t stupid enough to contact Jake directly no matter how much he wanted to.

***

Aisha’s plan worked, they walk right out of the FBI holding facility without any problems. She took them to a warehouse so they could set up and recover from the flight.

There was a knock on the warehouse door which took them all by surprise.

“You expecting anyone?” Clay looked over at Aisha.

Aisha cocked a gun, “No, no one should know we’re here.”

Cougar headed for the door without reaching for a weapon. He had hoped this would happen and if he was wrong then they were all dead anyway.

“Cougar, no.” Rouge came up behind him.

Cougar opened the door, looked at the tall, blond man he was expecting and pulled him through the threshold before the man could talk. When Jake was through, Cougar pushed him into the closed door.

“I’m really glad this was the right…” Cougar kissed him to shut him up. He lent his full body into Jake and Jake wrapped his arms around him and pulled Cougar closer.

He heard in the back ground, “What on earth is going on?”

They pulled out of the kiss but Cougar just rested his head against Jake’s shoulder.

“I missed you too buddy.” He felt Jake pressed a kiss to his hat, “But we might need to deal with the people pointing guns at me before we can get to know each other again.”

Cougar laughed into Jake’s shirt before pulling away. Turning to face the group he saw that everyone did in fact have their guns trained on the pair.

“Cougar, would you care to explain?” Clay asked.

“This is my housemate Jacob Jensen; he works with computers and can help us find information about Max.” Cougar felt Jake wave from behind him.

The others lowered their guns slightly.

“Your housemate?” Pooch asked.

“Yeah,” Jake said, “I brought everyone cookies. I mean you guys weren’t that hard to find. For trained ops you guys suck at covering your tracks but I’m here now and not to blow my own horn but I’m pretty good.”

Clay looked straight at Cougar, “Is he?”

“I don’t know about his combat abilities but he was able to find our team on our different missions and he found me at the doll factory without my help.”

Clay shrugged and put away his gun, “Okay but he’s your responsibility.” 

Pooch and Rouge slowly put their weapons away too but Aisha didn’t, “You’re going to trust him?”

“No he has to earn it, but I trust Cougar.”

“Awesome you guys are not going to regret it I can be super helpful,” Jake hugged Cougar from behind then whispered to Cougar, “I also brought condoms and lube.”

Cougar smiled and then led Jake to where he was sleeping for a proper reunion.


End file.
